Abstract
Phospholipid compositions were radiochemically studied on spherical bacteria belonging to the genera of Micrococcus, Planococcus, Staphylococcus, and Sporosarcina, and two unidentified motile cocci. The strains of the genera of Planococcus and Sporosarcina exhibited the presence of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), cardiolipin (CL), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and an unidentified phospholipid b. The genus Micrococcus showed the presence of CL, PG, and unidentified phospholipids a and b, and the genus Staphylococcus, the presence of CL, PG, and the unidentified phospholipid b. The phospholipid composition indicated a close relation to other taxonomic characteristics in this group of bacteria, and was not affected qualitatively by cultural conditions. From these findings, the phospholipid composition is considered to be useful for differentiation of aerobic gram-positive cocci.
